Kansas
Loves Basements! The Different Types of Basements in the Wichita,
KS Home Market!
We love our Basements here! Why? Well, between
storms/tornado threats, the fact of the matter is that it's a cheaper
way to get more square footage than to build all of that on one
level. We often finish our basements out here with extra
bedrooms, bathrooms, family rooms, game rooms and more!
But did you know that there's more than
just 1 kind of basement?
When looking at homes for sale in Wichita, KS, it's handy to know what
they are referring to as far as the basement goes.
Here
are the most common ones you'll see around our area:
Cellar Basements - These
you'll see in the really
older homes,
they're
not really finishable,
but are handy for storms and some storage (For things you don't mind
getting damp). They're usually more moist because they're not
fully closed off, there may be exposed/open dirt areas. Sometimes
the furnace and/or water heater are down there.
Standard Basements - These are
what most folks think of in regards to basements. They're fully
underground with just little windows at the top of the wall, not wide
enough to crawl through and too high to access really. More for
ventilation and light purposes. The
older versions are often concrete blocks
and can be damper and have more moisture.
The newer ones are concrete walls and
a little more tight. Both versions can be finished or unfinished,
though you may wish to consider extra waterproofing on the block
foundations. They provide good storm shelter and lots more usable
space, though it can sometimes seem dark and dungeony depending on
finishwork.
Daylight Basements - These are
one of the most common newer basements. These are built of
concrete walls poured in place, with egress
window bumpouts in various areas - this is an area built out
from the basement at the time it's poured. A window is set in
this area, and through this window, you can "egress" from the basement
up the daylight window pit and out into the yard. These windows
meet the code requirement for fire egress,
allowing rooms with these windows to be used as bedroom areas.
They have drainage measures to prevent backups and often covers to
prevent water intrusion into the well, though these should be light
enough to lift in case the window is used for egress! They are
often called Daylight windows because you have daylight that shines
down into the pit, and through the window, making the basement
brighter than your standard basement.
When you look out the window, you see the concrete of the window well,
which people often decorate up quite nicely - but be careful not to
block your egress with the decorations!
View-Out Basements - Gaining in
popularity, this basement is created by actually raising the house up
so that
a portion of the basement
"wall" area is above grade. Instead of concrete all the
way up, it's concreted up to grade, and then framed above that to the
ceiling. This allows for windows set in the wall to be level with
the ground outside, giving you an actual "View Out" into the yard
area. Depending on the height, these
also qualify as egress, allowing for
official bedrooms in the basement. This style of
basement has commanded a higher price in the resale world due to it's
current popularity and of course builders charge more. The
basement feels more like the above ground living area, with real
functioning windows, views, and natural light. On the down side,
some folks do feel the ground-level windows present a security risk.
Walk-Out Basements - The most
expensive version, this one comes in
3
varieties itself! The general premise is that in the
basement will be a doorway through which you
can "walk out" from the basement level and
into the yard (without being in an underground
tunnel!). The three types are discussed below:
- Pit Style - The Walk-Out Pit
basement is built as either a standard, daylight, or View-out, but with
one area that is cut out to floor level. This area is then framed
up in the normal way just as if it was above grade. The area that
this would open onto is dug out to provide a "pit" that is then
floored, and retaining walls are installed to provide a walled patio
area. Generally a drain is installed as well to protect against
water infiltration into the basement. They also typically have
stairways leading up into the yard area. If the home
is a View-Out style, the walled patio is about half height, with a few
steps. If it's a standard or daylight basement with a walk-out
pit, you'll find a full height wall and stairs up. The nice thing
about the pits is that it provides another living area (the private
patio) in addition to whatever may be on the grade level, they also
allow a lot more light into the basement area without the price of a
full walk-out style. You do have to watch the drains and be
careful in heavy rains and snows - if the drain is clogged, you can end
up with water backing up into the house thru the basement
sliders/door. This is the most economical walk-out style.
- Mid-Level Walk-Out - Another
more affordable option is this style, which features a stairwell going
down into the basement, with a landing mid-way down that has a door
into the back yard. This landing/door is in-between levels, hence
the mid-level term. In this version, from the basement you'd go
up half a flight to get ouside, or from the main floor, you'd go down
that half flight to get outside. Most have a patio at the
walk-out area, and many also have a deck on the main-level portion,
giving you two outside entertainment levels. These are
typically View-Out level homes, so the rest of the windows would be
open to the yard. The door
itself is not below grade,
presenting less risk of water intrusion. The drawback is that it
limits your stairway position, as it will really have to be on a back
wall in order to have the door.
- Full Walk-Out - This is
the most expensive style as it requires
raising the house up along with more extensive grading of the house.
From the rear, the home will look like a full 2 story home above ground
and from the front you'll see a Ranch with stairs to the front
door. In this style, the basement is poured on the sides
that will be backfilled with dirt. A retaining wall is usually
built on either side of the walk-out area to prevent
backfill/dirt/water up against the walk-out portion of the home.
That portion is framed out just like the main level - wood frame and
siding/brick. In this basement, you'll find a door/sliding doors
that open straight on grade with the back yard. The wall with
this door can hold full length windows and doors. The rest of the
basement will generally be view-out style, though the sides may be
daylight/standard. This style of basement leaves the
basement finish feeling just like the main-level, with normal windows
and doors, and lots of light. It also is convenient for accessing
the yard without having to go upstairs, or from re-entering the home
from the yard. The downfall is the potential for water intrusion
if the home is not correctly graded and protected, the expense of
building, and the significant grade change of the lot from front to
back.
You'll also find references to
Lower
Level as a Basement type - this simply means that the home is a split
level. There should be further definition as to whether
that level is daylight/view-out/walk-out or standard, as all of those
styles are also found in the split-level home.
If you've been looking for a home with a basement in the Wichita, KS
metro area, give us a shout and tell us what style you like and let us
help you hunt it down!
